There is considerable debate about this topic, to say the least. There are several clubs and several people who have staked claims about the origin of the term ‘mulligan.’

The story most widely accepted focuses on a gentleman named David Mulligan who played at the St. Lambert CC in Montreal during the 1920s. There are several versions of the David Mulligan story.

Story one: Mr. Mulligan was a hotelier in the first half of the century, a part-owner and manager of the Biltmore Hotel in New York City, as well as several large Canadian hotels. One story says that the first mulligan was an impulsive sort of event – that one day Mulligan hit a very long drive off the first tee, just not straight, and acting on impulse re-teed and hit again. His partners found it all amusing, and decided that the shot that Mulligan himself called a ‘correction shot’ deserved a better named, so they called it a ‘mulligan.’

Story two: Mulligan played regularly with a group of friends at St. Lambert, and in the morning he drove to pick up his golfing buddies. The road into the club was reportedly bumpy and windy and just sort of generally poor, with bridge of bumpy railroad ties. An extra shot was allotted to Mulligan, the driver of the car, on the first tee because he was jumpy and shaking from the difficult drive.

Story three: this story again identified a specific moment, citing a day when David Mulligan showed up late to the course, having scrambled to get out of bed late and get dressed and get to the course on time. He was frazzled on the first tee, hit a poor shot, and re-teed.

Another version of the ‘mulligan’ story comes from the Essex Fells CC in N.J. This story is one of the latest, and may therefore be less credible. According to this version, the term was named after a locker room attendant at the club named John A. ‘Buddy’ Mulligan, who worked at the club during the 1930s and was known for replaying shots, particularly on the first tee.

Adam Stanley / Golf Canada

Golf continues to provide a record number of Canadians safe refuge during the COVID-19 global pandemic as a proven activity that benefits physical and mental health. 

As we look ahead to 2022, there is comfort in knowing golf can continue to be a haven for safe gathering and fitness – for all. 

And beyond just the ability to continue to play the game, the world of golf has given Canadians much to be excited about as we look ahead to a new year! 

Here are nine things Canadians should be excited about in 2022: 

BROOKE’S BACK AT THE CP WOMEN’S OPEN

After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, planning for the 2022 CP Women’s Open is full-steam ahead. Hosted by Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, it’s the first time our national open will be in our nation’s capital since 2017. That year Brooke Henderson made the cut on the number and proceeded to fire a course-record 63 on Saturday to zip up the leaderboard. Henderson would, of course, go on to win the CP Women’s Open in 2018 and end up in the final group on Sunday in 2019. Tickets are on sale now for Ottawa’s event and it’s a fabulous opportunity to see some of the best golfers in the world tee it up – including our home-grown hero. 

RBC CANADIAN OPEN WELCOMES THE GAME’S TOP STARS

Like the CP Women’s Open, plans for the 2022 RBC Canadian Open are well underway as the excitement for the return of Canada’s lone PGA TOUR stop is at an all-time high. Hosted by St. George’s Golf and Country Club and Islington Golf Club’s practice facility, signs are pointing to this event – last won by Rory McIlroy in Hamilton in 2019 – being a very special one. There is set to be a ton of fabulous new activations for Canadian golf fans and there’s nothing quite like seeing our guys, like the top-ranked male Corey Conners, tee it up in person. Get your tickets here.

PRESIDENTS CUP HOPEFULS

Speaking of Corey Conners! Both he and childhood friend – and long-time Golf Canada National Team member – Mackenzie Hughes are in the conversation to be part of the International Presidents Cup team at Quail Hollow come September. Mike Weir is back as an Assistant Captain, and if Hughes and Conners both make the team it will be the first time in history with multiple Canadians on the squad. 

NEW YEAR, NEW GEAR

We say it often enough, but the top brands in golf continue to put out amazing gear to help you look, feel, and play better year after year. The Titleist Pro V1 (and Pro V1x) continue to be the No.1 ball in golf, while Puma and Levelwear are set to make clothing drops that are fit for the fairways or streamlined for the streets. Look in your bag or your closet to see what might need replaced in the new year and you won’t be disappointed at what’s on offer now, or what’s to come. 

FIRST TEE LAUNCHES IN CANADA

In concert with the PGA of Canada, Golf Canada was thrilled to put in motion the launch of the First Tee – Canada in 2021, with a targeted growth strategy for next year and beyond. The commitment from golf’s key stakeholders in Canada will allow for the next generation of divot-diggers to be able to thrive in any environment. With a big thanks to the Golf Canada Foundation and some key donations through this year, it’s an exciting time to be a youngster involved in golf in this country. 

ROAD TRIP! 

If the last two golf seasons have shown anything to Canadians, it’s that we have a lot of darn good golf courses in this country. Whether you’re looking for a hidden gem somewhere in Saskatoon, keen to combine golf and wine in Niagara, ready to heed the call of the mountains in Canmore Kananaskis, hot for history in Quebec City, or finally ready to check that bucket-list item off your list at Cabot Cape Breton, there’s no better time that grabbing some friends and safely hitting the road, or the skies, to explore what kind of great golf is on offer in this country. Find your course here.

CLUB COMPETITIONS

Perhaps the last two years have been restrictive in terms of who can play and when, but with more safety measures installed at clubs across Canada it’s likely you might have the opportunity to get those competitive juices flowing once again. Maybe you want to test your mettle at your club, or tee it up at a provincial tournament? Or maybe you can finally bring your friend to your place for a thrilling member-guest experience? Whatever the event may be, we’ve got our fingers-crossed that there will be more opportunities in 2022. 

GOLF’S GROWING POPULARITY

Whether there was play at a local muni, a nine-hole layout, or a championship 18-hole track, 2021 saw more Canadians teeing it up than ever before – this after a record-setting year in 2020. As Golf Canada continues its commitment to inclusion at all levels, don’t be surprised to see more people from all backgrounds enjoying the game more in 2022. A safe space means more enjoyment for all. 

ALWAYS TRYING TO GET BETTER

Even Tiger Woods, the greatest modern player in history, is trying to chase improvements on the course. While Woods’ return – of which we saw a tease of in December – is something itself to look forward to in 2022, take a page out of Woods’ book and keep working on your own game. The opportunity to improve (be sure to speak with a PGA of Canada professional!) is something that makes golf a game for a lifetime, and a new year means more time to try to shave a few strokes. Trying to get just a little bit better next year is something that carries many Canadians through wintertime. To keep detailed stats on your game, give Golf Canada’s free mobile app a try.

OAKVILLE – (Golf Canada) – Some golfers claim their favourite aspect of the game is recanting highlights (and maybe even some lowlights) with friends following a round of golf. 

Now, members of Golf Canada and their respective provincial golf association who track their games with Golf Canada Score Centre can do just that… digitally.

Introducing Golf Canada #MyGolfYear – a retrospective of a member’s golf year generated by the scoring data posted to the Golf Canada Score Centre in 2021.

Statistics on the graphics, which were emailed direct to members on December 28t^h, 2021, include total best round, number of holes played, distance played and most-played golf courses. 

Golfers who posted scores using hole-by-hole method will see additional statistics added to their graphics, including total number of pars, birdies or better and holes-in-one.

Golf Canada is encouraging members to share their graphics with friends via email or post them to their favourite social networking platform using the hashtag #MyGolfYear. Below are just a few examples shared since the inaugural campaign launched.

Golfers aiming to earn a coveted place in The 150^th Open at St Andrews will have opportunities at 16 professional events in 11 countries that make up The Open Qualifying Series in 2022.

Three players have already booked their places through the Joburg Open, the first event in the Series which was played in South Africa last month. The SMBC Singapore Open will be the next chance for golfers to qualify for the milestone championship at the home of golf when it is played at Sentosa from 20-23 January.

A minimum of 46 places in The Open are available through the Series, which provides golfers with opportunities to qualify at events around the world on the PGA TOUR, DP World Tour, PGA Tour of Australasia, Asian Tour, Korean Tour, Japan Golf Tour and Sunshine Tour.

Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Executive Director – Championships at The R&A, said, “We have worked closely with our colleagues at the leading professional tours to agree an exciting schedule of events through which golfers can qualify for The 150^th Open at St Andrews. There is a real desire among players to be part of this historic occasion at the home of golf and this will undoubtedly spur them on to secure a sought-after place in the Championship next year.”

For the first time, the New Zealand Open on the PGA Tour of Australasia will feature as part of the Series when it is played at Millbrook in Queenstown from 31 March-3 April. Three qualifying places will be offered at New Zealand’s national championship.

On the PGA TOUR, the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard and John Deere Classic will each have three qualifying places. Two places will be available at the RBC Canadian Open, while the last qualifying place in The 150^th Open will be confirmed at the Barbasol Championship on the eve of the Championship.

The Genesis Scottish Open, which is co-sanctioned by the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour for the first time, will carry three qualifying berths. Three places at both the Irish Open and Dutch Open on the DP World Tour will be available.

Four places will be on offer at the Mizuno Open in Japan and two places at the KOLON Korea Open.

Regional Qualifying events will take place at venues throughout Great Britain and Ireland on 20 June.  A minimum of 12 places will then be available at Final Qualifying events taking place at Fairmont St Andrews, Hollinwell, Prince’s and St Annes Old Links on 28 June.

The R&A has also published the list of exemptions that will be used to confirm the field for The 150^th Open at St Andrews. Please visit TheOpen.com for more information.  

(St. Andrews, Scotland) – New research figures revealed by The R&A and Sports Marketing Surveys (SMS) show golf has enjoyed a significant increase in popularity worldwide since 2016 with over five-and-a-half million additional golfers taking up the sport.

The measure includes club members and non-member independent golfers playing nine or 18 holes and users of driving ranges in markets where course availability is limited.

The new figure reflects a positive trend in golf in which participation levels are now rising worldwide after a period of decline. This was recently highlighted in the 2021 European Golf Participation Report, which highlighted that over 10.6 million golfers now enjoy playing full-length courses on the continent – a healthy increase from the 7.9 million last monitored in 2016.

Phil Anderton, Chief Development Officer at The R&A, said, “Golf is enjoying a real boom in popularity at the moment and we are seeing substantial increases in participation in many parts of the world, particularly in the last two years when the sport could be played safely outdoors during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The new figures are very encouraging but we need to work together as a sport to make the most of this opportunity by retaining those people who have returned to golf or tried it for the first time. We can achieve this by offering a variety of attractive and flexible options that encourage golfers to play more regularly and enjoy its many health and wellbeing benefits with family and friends.”

SMS collected participation data reported by national federations in different regions around the world, using nationally representative studies and expert estimates to calculate the global number of total golfers.

Regions experiencing the largest rises include Asia (20.9 million to 23.3 million); Europe (7.9 million to 10.6 million – driven largely by Great Britain and Ireland 3.6 million to 5.7 million); and North America (29.9 million to 30.6 million).

The research figures indicate the growth trend began before Covid-19 and then accelerated during the pandemic as the popularity of golf grew due to golfers being able to socially distance in a safe outdoor setting and stay active to boost their physical and mental health.

In Great Britain, the number of adults playing a nine or 18-hole course began to gradually increase before the onset of Covid-19, rising from 2.5 million in 2017 to 2.8 million in 2018, then to 3 million in 2019, before surging to 5.2 million in 2020.

Following the easing of lockdown restrictions, The R&A sought to carry out additional research into this rise in demand and how different types of golfers were engaging with the sport.

The Post Covid Opportunity Research, along with findings from Bayfirth Research, details experiences of golfers during the pandemic, motivations for playing and long-term plans for the future. Among new golfers, 98% of those interviewed identified they are enjoying playing golf and 95% see themselves playing golf for many years to come.

The research also outlined recommendations clubs can take to retain new players, including feeling welcome and valued; a friendly culture and relaxed atmosphere; participation options based on ability and experience; good customer service; having an efficient booking system; the quality and maintenance of the course; and, importantly, playing in an encouraging environment.

The R&A also launched a Covid-19 Support Fund to help golf deal with the impact of the pandemic, with the £7 million funding package largely aimed at national federations and other affiliated bodies in Great Britain and Ireland.

Further support for national federations is set to come in 2022. The R&A is creating a series of new assets to help market and promote the sport so that more people are encouraged to take up golf and existing golfers are retained.

The golf industry in North America is growing in new and exciting ways. Lightspeed Commerce Inc. (NYSE: LSPD) (TSX: LSPD), the one-stop commerce platform for merchants around the world to simplify, scale and create exceptional customer experiences, today announced a multi-year agreement with Golf Canada, the National Sport Federation representing more than 271,000 golfers and 1,400 member clubs across the country, allowing both participating golf courses and golfers to share certified Golf Canada handicap data across both platforms.

Lightspeed Golf empowers courses to manage an entire facility from a single platform, synthesizing systems for daily operations, tee sheets, on-site hospitality and retail, and online booking. The integration of Lightspeed Golf’s commerce platform with the Golf Canada Score Centre will provide a solution for more Canadian golfers to maintain an Official Handicap Index, leveling the playing field for participants across Canada.

“We are both excited and honoured to be partnering with such a revered Canadian organization,” said Lightspeed Golf GM David Hope. “This platform integration will streamline operations for golfers and course operators alike, enabling improved handicap integrity and reporting. We look forward to working with Golf Canada to grow the game through educational content and putting intuitive technology in the hands of both golfers and golf course operators.”

The platform integration will help more golfers track their scoring history and demonstrated ability on the golf course, allowing both golfers and course operators to see handicap data when booking tee times and navigating tee sheets.

“Golf Canada is extremely pleased to be aligning our Score Centre with Lightspeed Golf,” said Golf Canada Director of Membership Ryan Logan. “This platform integration will open up new opportunities to grow our membership-base across Canada and will further support our member clubs in providing a more streamlined and enhanced golfing experience.”

Golf in Canada continues to show growth and resilience through the past two seasons impacted by the pandemic. In 2021, a record 9.3M scores were posted to the Golf Canada Score Centre, a 19% increase from 2020 and 27.5% increase over 2019, and Lightspeed Golf customers reported a 23% increase in rounds played from 2019 to 2020. Lightspeed Golf customers are growing and modernizing their businesses, attracting younger patrons and more diverse golfers, and re-thinking their business models to diversify their revenue streams.

“Golf is booming right now, but even before that our rounds were continuously up every single year over the past five years,” said Lightspeed Golf customer Jenifer Wright, GM of Westwood Plateau Golf. “We’re making changes to get new people into golf and we’ve been really impressed with every integration Lightspeed has come out with. We can’t wait to see how this platform integration with Golf Canada will benefit our course and players.”

After eight rounds of play, the 2021 LPGA Q-Series has come to an end. In all, 46 players, including Canadian Maddie Szeryk, finished at -4 or better to secure Tour status for 2022.

Szeryk, hailing from London, Ont., shot a personal-best 4-under 68 in the final round of Q-Series and would finish T35.

The 25 year old competed in 18 events during the 2021 season with a best finish of T22 at the Copper Rock Championship in April, and has been on the Symetra Tour since 2019.

Over the course of the two-week tournament, 110 LPGA hopefuls competed in two 72-hole stroke play events with the low 70 players and ties cut after week one, and scores carrying over into week two held in Dothan, Ala. from Dec. 9-12.

After the conclusion of all eight rounds, players who finished inside the top 45 and ties received LPGA membership for the 2022 season, and players finishing outside the top 20 and ties also received 2022 Symetra Tour status.

Selena Costabile hailing from Thornhill, Ont. finished T68, and Hamilton native Alena Sharp would finish T69.

For complete results and full leaderboard click here.

John Gordon

This time of year, we are inundated with “gift guides for the golfer in your life.” I’m here to tell you I am that golfer and I don’t want most of that stuff.

Why the greatest game has the cheesiest accessories is beyond me. You’ve seen them: Caddyshack gopher head covers, ugly sweaters, and those visors with the fake hair sprouting out the top. Note to my family: Buy me one of those and the next time you see one while walking through the local thrift store and remark, “Hey, that’s just like the one we got Uncle John for Christmas,” rest assured it is the same one.

So here’s the real stuff the golfer in your life (and likely you) want for Christmas.

A book you can’t put down

It’s been said that “the smaller the ball, the more is written about it” and, despite the fact I’ve never seen much literature about marbles, I believe that to be true. There are so many great books about every conceivable facet of golf. I particularly enjoy reading about the people, especially if they are Canadian. Gary Cowan’s new autobiography (written with David McPherson) From Rockway to Augusta chronicles his outstanding career. Cowan, an honoured member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, remains the only man to win the U.S. Amateur twice at stroke play. Hard- and soft-cover versions are available for order here.

A Golf Canada membership

If the recipient doesn’t belong to a Golf Canada member club which includes a Golf Canada membership as part of their benefits, get them one. Priced around $50, it’s a bargain, providing an official handicap index among a plethora of other benefits including access to the full-feature Golf Canada app and incident protection coverage against lost, damaged, or stolen equipment. Learn all about it here. 

A club-fitting session

Here’s a vital tip. DO NOT buy golf clubs for the object of your affection. Few things are more personal than a golfer’s choice of tools. Getting fitted for clubs (and balls) is essential. A gift certificate for your local pro shop may seem a touch antiseptic but, trust me, it will be deeply appreciated. While an in-person fitting is preferable, most equipment companies offer sophisticated online fitting apps.

Tickets to Canada’s National Opens

Canada’s national open championships (CP Women’s Open and RBC Canadian Open) make their highly anticipated return after a two-year break. Consider the full experience of world-class golf with tickets for you and yours.

Gift cards to your local pro shop

On the topic of gift certificates, how about patronizing your local courses this holiday season? Most offer gift cards for everything from merchandise, food and beverage, lessons and even a contribution toward annual dues.

Practice and tracking progress

Unless you live in balmy British Columbia, your practice is pretty well restricted to indoors. If you are committed to game improvement in the offseason, consider purchasing a launch monitor or visiting an indoor facility with access. Putting mats like the Wellputt are under 200 bucks and we all know how many strokes poor putting costs us.

This is my opinion only but mid- to high-handicappers don’t need an expensive rangefinder. The free Golf Canada mobile app offers GPS data alongside detailed hole-by-hole scoring.

A new push cart

The recent boom in golf participation has revealed that many golfers prefer to walk and use a push cart which is proven to be easier on the body (and better for your score) than carrying your clubs. Non-motorized carts like Bag Boy’s Nitron have all sorts of options. But if you want to splurge, go for something in the Motocaddy line of electric trolleys.

A donation to golf’s future

Give a donation to the First Tee – Canada. Your gift in any amount will help prepare kids for their future in golf and beyond. Give back to the game that’s given us all so much.

A final caveat: Supply-chain issues being what they are, you should order your golf gifts as soon as possible.

United States Golf Association

Golf’s governing bodies have made available a Model Local Rule (MLR) to further limit the use of Green-Reading Materials. 

MLR G-11 enables a committee to limit players to using only the yardage book that it has approved for use in the competition. 

This local rule is intended only for the highest levels of competitive golf and, even then, only for competitions where it is realistic for the committee to undertake an approval process for yardage books. It will be available starting January 1, 2022.

The local rule gives a committee the ability to establish an officially approved yardage book for a competition so that the diagrams of putting greens show only minimal detail (such as significant slopes, tiers or false edges that indicate sections of greens). In addition, the local rule limits the handwritten notes that players and caddies are allowed to add to the approved yardage book. 

The purpose behind the local rule is to ensure that players and caddies use only their eyes and feel to help them read the line of play on the putting green. 

The USGA and The R&A developed MLR G-11 in response to feedback from several professional tours.

The MLR, along with question-and-answer guidance, can be found here.

As the local rule should only be adopted at the highest levels of competitive golf, all other golfers will continue to be able to use green-reading tools so long as they meet the requirements established in 2019. For more information on the current rule, see usga.org/grm.

John Gordon

When you hear someone say “golf saved my life,” you pay attention.

From the age of 9 until he turned 14, Sam Gerry had a passion for the game. Suddenly, severe depression hit, to the point where he considered suicide. Then he was fortunate enough to be invited on a surprise trip with his grandfather to the Masters. The experience caused a gradual reawakening of his love for the game and, far more importantly, life.

“I could escape to the golf course and the only thing I was focused on was the game. Because I played regularly, it definitely built up to create a longer-term effect on my recovery. That combination of the game itself and spending time with my friends or my dad or my grandfather—that really helps me get through it. You really could say golf saved my life and that’s not an exaggeration.”

Sam’s story is one of many. There is even a book titled How Golf Saved My Life and, although it deals mainly with golfers with physical disabilities, it demonstrates how the game has indisputable benefits for our overall wellbeing.

She elaborated in a study by the R&A on this topic in 2020: “Contact with nature slows down our stress response and induces calm. There is evidence to show this is happening in our biological system. It is promoting stress resilience, it is improving our mood, it is decreasing our risk of depression and increasing our social wellbeing, particularly on a golf course where you are interacting with other members of that community. So there are a host of mental and social wellbeing benefits.”

Never was this more important than now, when the world is trying to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and its crushing impact on physical and mental health.

The impact of COVID-19 on mental health

A more recent R&A study, “Post COVID Opportunity,” found that 36 per cent of respondents said they experienced some negative impact on their mental health as a result of the pandemic. Of these, 83 per cent identified that playing golf had a positive impact on their mental health. Thirty-one per cent said they had increased feelings of loneliness and isolation as a result of the pandemic. Of these, 79 per cent said playing golf had a positive impact.

Those feelings are not limited to any one demographic.

In May, during Mental Health Week, a survey by the Canadian Mental Health Association and the University of British Columbia found that 77 per cent of adult respondents reported feeling negative emotions as a result of the pandemic.

In a letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford, during the province’s lockdown of outdoor activities, the Canadian Pediatric Association said: “We cannot overstate the extent of the mental health crisis facing our children and youth. Seventy per cent of Ontario school-aged children reported deterioration in their mental health. Social isolation is by far the biggest predictor of poor mental health for children.”

Is playing golf a panacea for all that ails us, mentally and physically? Of course not but there are undeniable benefits.

Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood is a psychologist who has worked with many athletes, including the Team Canada men’s golf squad. She is also the chair of the Canadian Sport Psychology Association.

“The pandemic turned our lives upside-down. We lost a lot: a sense of control, of normalcy, routine, contact with family and friends, work colleagues. Golf gives us some of that back. We are in control for a change. We get away from the bad news, social media. We get outside, we reconnect with others in a social setting, in nature.

“Another wonderful thing is that golf is a perfect setting for players of any age to golf together, whether that’s mom and dad and the kids and maybe even grandma and grandpa or with someone you meet for the first time on the first tee. It is a game that brings us all together and that is vital for good mental health.”

People need golf now more than ever

In a Toronto Sun column titled “People need golf now more than ever,” golf writer Jon McCarthy talks about sneaking in a quick round before Ford shut things down once again in late April.

“One of the beauties of golf is that it’s full of breezy conversation. There’s lots to talk about but rarely is a serious topic broached. I’ll come home from a round with friends and my wife will ask what we talked about. The honest answer is, well, nothing. And it’s wonderful.

“To partake in this, a golfer doesn’t have to belong to a club or have a regular foursome. Once you get to a course, there will be people to talk to, people to share the day with, even if you show up alone. The golf course is a place where strangers can become friends for a day.

“Now more than ever, people need that.”